CHAP. 2. 15. OF CLOUDS. 83 



ment of its streams. I have observed, that the 

 large and distant streams of some summer 

 showers have often a strong positive electricity. 

 Rain has been found sometimes positively, and 

 at others negatively, electrified ; and sometimes 

 nonelectric. 



The peculiarities of Snow seem to consist, for 

 the most part, in the size and shape of the flakes. 

 Sometimes they are of a sort of stelliform figure. 

 Hailstones vary in size and shape. Such large 

 ones sometimes fall, as break windows, and do 

 other mischief. Of this a memorable instance 

 happened some years ago at Bruxelles. I think 

 I remember to have found some round and 

 transparent Hailstones which contained opaque 

 concentric globes in the inside. Hail and Snow 

 have generally been found electrified.* 



* Consult the experiments of Cavallo, Comp. Treat. Elect. 

 Bertholon. Elec. Met. &c. See Chapter on Electricity of 

 Clouds. 



the captain noticed to me the quantity of gossamer on the 

 rigging of the vessel, which he said was a sure sign of fine 

 weather. 



On the llth and 12th I noticed this web so abundant all 

 the way through Kent, by Canterbury and Maidstone, to 

 Hartfield, that the fields were quite white with it. 



G 2 



